Forgotten bank account: how to reclaim your money

An old address or missing statement need not mean lost savings.

The answer in 2 lines. If you remember the bank or building society, contact it directly through a trusted channel and ask it to trace your account. Otherwise, use the free account-tracing route linked below. Gather previous names, addresses and any old statements. Money transferred into the Dormant Assets Scheme remains reclaimable through the original provider. For a deceased person's account, the provider must also check who is entitled to deal with the estate.

The first steps

Look for statements, passbooks and correspondence. Note previous names and addresses, the likely provider and any account details you can find.
Contact the original provider using independently checked contact details. Say you want to trace a lost account, rather than open a new one.
If you need a wider search, follow the free tracing route in the MoneyHelper guide. Read which accounts it covers before submitting your details.

Stop: danger

Threats or coercion: if someone is forcing you to withdraw or hand over money and you are in immediate danger, call 999. The official police contact guide explains emergency and non-emergency reporting.

Choose the right search route

Start with what you know. An old passbook, a letter about a change of address or a statement can give the provider enough information to begin investigating. Missing an account number does not mean you should abandon the search.

The public MoneyHelper guide to old accounts explains the free tracing options and what happens if an institution has changed its name or stopped operating. Follow the route for the type of savings you held. Keep a copy of the information you submit so you can answer follow-up questions consistently.

What happens to dormant money?

Being unable to use an account immediately does not mean its balance has disappeared. Ask the provider whether it needs updated identity documents, a current address or a dormant-account reclaim request.

The government explanation of the Dormant Assets Scheme says owners should approach the institution that originally held their money. Read its section on reclaiming assets to choose the appropriate route. A transfer into the scheme does not remove your right to reclaim. You should not need to approach the organisations receiving money for community projects.

What not to do

Paying someone merely to begin a search when free routes are available.
Sending identity documents through a link in an unexpected message announcing a forgotten balance.
Assuming an unsuccessful search proves there was never an account. Check the names, addresses and likely provider you supplied.
Treating money found in a relative's name as your own before the provider has established your authority.

If the account belonged to someone who died

Tell the provider that the account holder has died and ask its bereavement team what evidence it requires. Being a relative and being authorised to administer the estate are different things.

Use GOV.UK's probate guide to check whether probate is needed and who can apply. Each financial institution has its own requirements for releasing assets. For the wider responsibilities, read GOV.UK's guide to dealing with an estate before distributing recovered money. Keep correspondence and record the balance recovered as an estate asset.

If the search stalls

Ask the provider for a written explanation of what it searched and what information is missing. Send any additional evidence securely and keep the reference attached to your enquiry. Separate a request to trace an account from a complaint about how the request was handled.

If you need to complain, follow the Financial Ombudsman Service complaint guide: complain to the provider first, explain the outcome you want, and retain its final response. The guide explains when you can refer the dispute for independent consideration and the applicable deadlines.

Good to know

There is no guaranteed balance or payout: a search must establish both the account and your entitlement.
Keep providers informed when you move or change your name, and keep a secure record of your accounts.
This guide is for England. The probate guidance also covers Wales; Scotland and Northern Ireland have different probate procedures, linked from the GOV.UK guide.

Illustrative example: in Leeds, Ruth finds an old savings letter while sorting her mother's papers. She contacts the provider's bereavement team, supplies the previous address and asks what authority it needs. Once the account is identified, she records it in the estate paperwork and follows the provider's release process.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 6 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for the free tracing routes, reclaiming dormant assets and estate procedures; medium for individual outcomes, which depend on records, identity checks and legal entitlement. No average recovery amount or guaranteed processing time is stated.